Small Flower
FILMS
Production
Hello
My name is Rejena Rahmani
I am a Hazara Afghan-Canadian filmmaker, writer, and director located in Vancouver, BC, and I founded Small Flower Films Production.
As a woman of color raised in Canada, I am passionate about crafting original narratives that represent the experiences of marginalized communities in Vancouver, including LGBTQ+ individuals, those facing homelessness, and individuals battling addiction.
Films have historically played a significant role in driving social movements and shaping public dialogue. I believe that through storytelling, films can educate and raise awareness about social, political, and environmental issues, inspiring audiences to feel, reflect, connect, and engage in meaningful discussions that can foster positive societal change.
My body of work includes my student documentary film, "Hidden In Plain Sight," which powerfully illuminates the stark realities faced by homosexual men in India, where this vital conversation remains shrouded in taboo.
Student Film: Hidden In Plain Sight - 2017
Writer, Director:
Rejena Rahmani
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Cinematographers:
Rejena Rahmani, Laura Solano Alvarado, & Eduardo Caceres
Editor:
Rejena Rahmani, Laura Solano Alvarado
Sound:
Rejena Rahmani, Eduardo Caceres
Subtitles:
Rejena Rahmani
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Film Synopsis:
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"Hidden in Plain Sight" is a moving short documentary about an anonymous 18-year-old Indian student who identifies as gay but hides his identity due to societal norms in India. He moves to Canada to study at Capilano University, hoping to escape. Ultimately, he realizes he must embark on a journey to accept himself and find true freedom.
Screening Link: Hidden in Plain Sight on Vimeo
In 2017, I started my journey as a mental health worker with the PHS Community Services Society on East Hastings Street. This profoundly impactful experience as a first responder inspired me to create my second documentary film, "Lost Boys. " This film beautifully captures the story of Alan Heath, a gifted aspiring poet battling for survival at the New Fountain Shelter in East Hasting Street.
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I am thrilled to share that "Lost Boys" received significant acclaim. It was officially selected for the Vancouver Short Film Festival in 2022 and won the prestigious Best Short Documentary Film award at the Golden Sparrow International Film Festival and the Uruvatti International Film Festival in 2021. These recognitions underscore the film's profound impact and global resonance.
![SPECIAL_JURY_AWARD[1].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e42cc5_73bacff8f1314360927ec2b3a94fcb3b~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_152,h_101,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_avif,quality_auto/SPECIAL_JURY_AWARD%5B1%5D.png)
LOST BOYS - 2017-2022
Writer, Director, & Producer:
Rejena Rahmani
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Cinematographer:
Rejena Rahmani
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Editor:
Rejena Rahmani, Laura Solano Alvarado, & Eduardo Caceres
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Music:
Dear Gravity 'Say Something,' Sony Music-Ruth. B 'Lost Boy,' Sivan Taimor' Deep Blue Sea'
Subtitles:
Rejena Rahmani​
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Official Selection, Short Doc Film:
Vancouver Short Film Festival, 2022
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Best Short Documentary Film:
Golden Sparrow International Film Festival, Special Jury Award, 2021
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Best Short Documentary Film:
Uruvatti International Film Festival, Special Jury Award, 2021
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Film Synopsis:
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Lost Boys explores the power of resilience and dedication through Alan's words. Follow his journey as he navigates his life in the challenges of Fentanyl addiction and poverty in the East Hastings neighbourhood. This neighbourhood grapples with the heartbreaking dual threats of homelessness and fentanyl addiction, challenges that profoundly shape Alan's daily existence. He often finds himself engulfed in profound isolation, confronting relentless struggles tied to both his living situation and opioid dependency. Yet, amidst the chaos, Alan discovers a refuge in poetry. He pours his heart into his verses, sharing them with staff and fellow residents, finding an exquisite solace in this powerful form of self-expression.
Screening Link: https://vimeo.com/718065361
In 2018, Laura Solano Alvarado and I co-directed the experimental film *Kindred*. We produced this short film during the intense 72-hour Olympus 72HourFilmmakerShowdown competition, where our challenge was to write, shoot, edit, and make a 3-5 minute film within the time limit. Despite our pressures and various challenges, we pushed ourselves to create an abstract and experimental cinema that ultimately reached the top ten finalists. Despite the pressures of time constraints and multiple challenges, we pushed ourselves to create an experimental and abstract film that eventually reached the top 10 finalists.
KINDRED - 2018
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Writer, Director:
Laura Solano Alvarado, Rejena Rahmani
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Starring:
Andrew Warner, Desiree Wallace
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Cinematographers:
Laura Solano Alvarado, Desiree Wallace, Rejena Rahmani
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Editor:
Laura Solano Alvarado, Rejena Rahmani
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Music:
Alex Cooper's "Reel Dreams 1", Peter Sanberg Epidemic Sound's "Blissful 5 Stems Melody"
Top 10 finalists, Short Experimental Film:
Olympus 72hrFilmmakerShowdown, 2018
Film Synopsis:
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Two like-minded individuals break free from all social norms and dive into curiosity and desires, highlighting the unexpected connections with others with open arms while celebrating what it means to stand out in your individualism.
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Screening Link: KINDRED
In 2020, I was the cinematographer for Celine Simpson's short experimental film, "Lore." The film explores themes such as socially constructed tropes, feminism, self-expression, self-love, sexuality, and awakening. In 2021, it won the award for Best Experimental Film at the ARFF International Film Festival.
LORE - 2020
Director:
Celine Simpson
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Cinematographer:
Rejena Rahmani
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Editor:
Morgan Sidky
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Music:
Exeunt-LK
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Winner, Best Experimental Film:
ARFF AMSTERDAM Film Festival 2021
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Film Synopsis:
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Symbolism and mythologies associated with feminity are inverted to create strange, beautiful, and unnerving imagery; dreamlike and surreal details invoke the absurdity of the stereotypes we hear echoed within society.
In 2021, I enrolled in the Directing and Fundamental Screenwriting courses offered by Vancouver Film School to continue my learning. For my graduation submission project, I directed, shot, edited, and produced my fourth short cinema verite film, "Canada's Legacy."
Canada's Legacy - 2021
Writer, Director, & Producer:
Rejena Rahmani
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Cinematographers:
Rejena Rahmani, Morgan Sidky
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Editor:
Rejena Rahmani
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Music:
Fjodor
Film Synopsis:
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Canada Legacy explores various areas of Vancouver City and highlights the troubling news of all the undocumented—unmarked graves of Indigenous children discovered in Canada. The film serves as a reminder of Canada's painful past.
I am working on my debut feature drama, "Rezagul - Little Flower." This poignant story follows a young Hazara Afghan girl from Afghanistan whose life is profoundly impacted by the ravages of war, immigration, and poverty, as well as the domestic violence inflicted upon her mother.
At just nine years old, Rezagul faces the heartwrenching reality of her mother's untimely death. Through the eye of this child, this film aims to explore the depths of grief and loss while shedding light on the enduring conflict surrounding the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan and the devasting consequences of war and political greed.
REZAGUL - 'Little Flower' 2022 -
Writer, Director:
Rejena Rahmani
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Film Log Line:
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Rezagul, a five-year-old Hazara Afghan girl, tries to make sense of her world when unfortunate events set the course of her destiny forever.
